WIN a luxury spa day at Ragdale Hall

Paul Fisher

Modern life is not always easy, there are time pressures, deadlines, stress and expectations to be met from all angles in our 24\7 society...sometimes you just need to escape to an oasis of calm where you can unwind.

There can be few places better to find such serenity than at Ragdale Hall health hydro and thermal spa, which, with my better half, I escaped to for the day.

Nestled in the Leicestershire countryside close to Melton Mowbray, the former Elizabethan hunting lodge boasts everything one can possibly want for a day of relaxation, recuperation and pampering.

Whether you’re looking to relax in the extensive Thermal Spa, take part in one of any number of exercise classes, which include everything from zumba to meditation, or indulge in a beauty treatment or massage from one of Ragdale’s 130 therapists, there really is something for everyone.

Now, as a man I’m not as used to indulging in a spa day as my other half Rebecca, however the staff at Ragdale immediately put me at ease with a warm welcome and were on hand throughout our stay to answer any queries or to offer advice.

After a look around the impressive range of facilities available it was off to the gym for me, while Rebecca had a skincare consultation in Ragdale’s own Beauty shop.

For those that are not gym bunnies there were several personal trainers on hand to offer friendly advice and guidance if needed while the queue waiting for the two separate studio spaces showed how popular the exercise classes are with visitors.

Having exerted myself in the gym it was off to start relaxing in the pool.

Well, actually Ragdale has five pools, so Rebecca and I kicked things off with a swim in the main 25-metre pool before moving on to the thermal spa, skipping out the exercise pools on the way.

There can be few places in the country that offer the space and facilities of Ragdale’s Thermal Spa.

Boasting 11 heat facilities in total, the Thermal Spa has a mixture of steam and sauna, a scented room, two ‘experience showers’ an underground silent candlelit pool in which to float and relax on pillows and of course the thermal pool itself.

There is something wonderful about stepping into the naturally warm waters of the outdoor thermal pool on one of the coldest days of the year.

The steam pours off of the surface of the pool into the cool air while you remain cosy in the heated water, maybe enjoying one of the indoor or outdoor waterfalls or a jet massage.

With a low-carb lunch of salmon and chicken demolished and stomachs full we retired to the comfort of a sofa in the glass Pavilion with view of the beautiful gardens to chill with a book before our pre-booked beauty treatments.

It may not surprise you that I have never had a facial before, but I would thoroughly recommended one to all. I found it so relaxing, the only trouble had was staying awake! Rebecca likewise found the treatment to be superb and one of the best facials she had experienced.

Rebecca and I booked the Clarins Mum & Me Time spa day package and it really would make the perfect gift for two this Mother’s Day. However, as I proved, there’s no reason a loving son or husband could not go along and have a fantastic day as well, and with the offer valid until September, you don’t need to rush to squeeze it in on Mothering Sunday.

The Clarins Mum & Me Time spa day deal gave us each a Clarins Serenity Facial (40 minutes), a three course buffet lunch, a gift of an Eau Dynamisante Body Lotion (100ml) and Eau Dynamisante Fragrance (30ml) worth £21.40, a Clarins skincare consultation and full use of the Thermal Spa, relaxation areas, swimming pools, gymnasium and choice of exercise and relaxation classes.

The Clarins Mum & Me Time spa day costs £239 for two Monday to Thursday or £289 for two Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For more visit www.ragdalehall.co.uk

HOW YOU CAN WIN

Here’s your chance to win The Clarins Mum & Me Time spa day for two. To enter simply answer the following question: